Electrically operated clock



Aug. 7, 1934.

w. EBERHARDT ET AL ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CLdQK I 23 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7. 1929 1934- w. EBERHARDT El AL 1,968,932

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CLOCK Filed Dec. 7, 1929 s Sheets-Shem: 2

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Patented Aug. 7, i934 UNHTEQ 1,968,932 ELE S'EEEHGALLY @PERATEED ClLQCYii Waiter Eberhardt,

Cincinnati, (lhio, Hall Clock Company, poration of @hio and Wiliiam Fey fielschedifi, assignors to The lllerschede Cincinnati, @hio, a cor Application December 3, i929, Seriai No. 412,53?

7 (Claims.

This invention relates to clocks of the type wherein the motive power for the time keeping mechanism thereof is utilized also for driving the hour striking and the chime sounding mecha- 5 nisms.

An object of the invention is to provide improved and simplified means for operating said hour striking and chime sounding mechanisms from the common power means.

Another object is to effect a reduction in the weight of such clocks and to also reduce the cost of manufacture.

Another object is to so construct a clock of the above mentioned type that the assembly or repairing thereof is greatly facilitated.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the clock of this invention.

' Fig. 2 is a. cross-sectional view taken immediately behind the front plate shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a partial. cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Clocks of the type to which this invention appertains have been provided heretofore with rather complicated mechanism for effecting movement or actuation of the chime sounding and hour striking mechanisms at predetermined intervals of time. Although such means function very effectively and are considered commercially practical, the expense involved in the manufacture and assembly thereof is considerable. By modifying such structures and providing the means described and disclosed herein, aconsiderable portion of said expense is eliminated. Another advantage of the improved structure is the attainment of smoother and easier action.

The invention consists, among other things, in providing a constantly driven spur gear on driver '7, (Fig. 2), and shiftable gears 8 and 9 which may be moved into and out of engagement with the driver whereby to control actuation of the hour striking and chime sounding mechanisms. When gear 8 is moved into engagement with the driver '7, the chime sounding mechanism is actuated for sounding the quarters of the hour. In a like manner, the engagement of gear 9 with the driver initiates movement of the hour striking mechanism, and may also sound the hour chime.

Easy engagement of the gears and smoothness of operation are attained by providing a special gear mounting,-the details of which will be explained as the description proceeds.

Reference is now made to Fig. 2 wherein 10 indicates a constant and uniform speed motor provided with a driving pinion 11. The motor is preferably an electrically operated synchronous type of motor having electrical connection with a proper source of electricity. It is to be understood, however, that any suitable motive means that is regular, constant and uniform in speed may be employed for operating the clock of this invention. By providing a suitable reduction gear train comprising gears 12 and 13, which gears engage gears 11 and '1 respectively as shown in Fig. 2, a constant and uniform rotary motion is imparted to gear '1. Gear is fixedly mounted on a drive shaft 14 which is rotatably supported in suitable bearings in the clock frame. The chime sounding mechanism comprises a plurality of hammers 15 mounted on the ends of hammer arms 16 which are adapted to be raised, by positive power means, and subsequently re leased for striking a chime tube or similar sounding element 17. As the hammer arms are identical in construction, a description of one will sufiice for the others also.

Arm 16 is preferably a rod of metal, one end of which carries the hammer 15. The opposite 0 end 18 of the rod is formed to provide a bumper which normally contacts a complementary bumper element 19 extending from the rear plate 20 of the clock framework. Intermediate the ends of rod 16, there is secured thereto a cam'2i having 35 a bore 22 which permits of loose mounting of the cam on a shaft 23. It should be clear that the bumpers above referred to serve to limit counterclockwise rotation of the cam and arm relative to the shaft. Cam 21 is provided with an upwardly extending f nose 24 lying normally in the orbit of a plurality of contact pins 25 extending radially from a rotat- I able drum 26. It is evident that as the drum is rotated on its axle 27 in a counter-clockwise direction, the pins 25 will successively strike nose 24 whereby to move the cam about the pivotal mounting 23 for lifting the hammer 15. As the pin moves over the end of nose 24, the hammer drops and thereupon strikes the sounding means 17.

The means for imparting rotary motion to the drum 26 comprises a. trainof gears 28, 29, 30 and 8. Gears 29 and 30 are fixedly mounted concentrically on a shaft 31, which shaft is rotatably supported in bearings'in the plates 20 and 200 forming the clock frame. Gear 29 is in constant engagement with gear 28, which latter is rotatable with drum '26, while gear 30 is in constant engagement with gear 8.

Means are provided whereby gear 8 may be moved into engagement with driver 7 while in engagement with gear 30. It should be clearly evident that movement of gear 8 to the position shown by dotted lines 32, Fig. 2, will cause gear 7 to drive gear 8 whereby to actuate the chime sounding mechanism.

Gear 8 is rotatably mounted upon a stud shaft 33 carried by a shifting arm 34. The lower end of said arm is fixedly mounted upon a rock shaft 35, the ends of which are journaled in the parallel front and rear plates 200 and 20. A tension spring 36 has one end thereof anchored to the rear of plate 20, as at37, and the opposite end is attached to an ear 38 on thearm 34. Said spring tends to yieldingly holdthe arm in the inoperative position with gear"8"'out of engagement with driver 7. It should be noted that the arm is so positioned, when in the said inoperative position, that shafts 35, 31 and '33, though parallel to one another, are out of alignment. In other words, a plane passing through the centers of shafts 35 and 31 does not include the center line of shaft 33. When the arm is moved to the dotted line position 39, however, the center line of shaft 33 approaches such plane but does not reach it. Particular attention is directed also to the gear 8 when in the retracted position. It will be noted that in this position, the teeth of gear 8 and those of gear 30 are loosely, or lightly, meshed. As the arm is moved to the operative position, the teeth will of course mesh more tightly because of the above described offset or staggered relationship of the shafts 35, 31 and '33. However, at the timethe teeth of gear 8 commence to mesh with those of gear 7, there is yet 'considerableplay or looseness between the teeth of gears 8 and 30. This construction, it is believed, is responsible for the smooth and easy action of the parts because the play or looseness assists the intermeshing action of the gear teeth of gears 8 and 7.

Movement of the arm 34 is controlled by means of a stud 40 on the arm, which stud (see Fig. 1) extends forwardly through a'perforation4r in front plate 200, for co-operating with conditioning means which will be described and explained hereinafter.

Before proceeding with a description and explanation of the conditioning means, it will be necessary to explain in detail the minute hand actuating means and the parts associated therewith. Reference is therefore made to Figs. 1 and 3. As explained in a previous paragraph, spindle 14 is fixed relative to driver 7 and is therefore constantly rotating. On the spindle 14 (Fig. 3) there is pressed, or otherwise fixedly secured thereto, a pinion 42. Said pinion engages a large gear 43 which, with a pinion 44, is fixed upon a rotatable shaft 45 suitably journaled in hearings in plate 200 and in bracket 46 mounted on the plate. Pinion 44 engages a gear 47 which is frictionally mounted upon the minute hand sleeve 48. As shown in Fig. 3, the gear 47 is' loosely mounted upon the sleeve and is frictionally retained in abutment upon flange 49 by means of a pressedon gear 50. Through the agency of gears 42, 43, 44 and 47, the minute hand sleeve, upon which the minute hand 51 is non-rotatably mounted, is slowly rotated. Any well known means of mounting the minute hand on the sleeve maybe employed, for instance a nut 52.

Attention is directed now to a disc 53, (Figs. 1 and 3), provided with pins 54 extending from one face of the disc.

It is to be noted thatv disc 53 is pressed onto sleeve 48 and is rotatable therewith. The extending pins 54 are adapted to successively strike and move a depending pivotally mounted arm 55 as the minute hand is moved in clockwise direction. Said arm is connected with means for throwing into engagement the gears 8 and 7 which set in motion the chime sounding mechanism. Said arm 55 is pivoted on the frame at 56 and co-operates with a similarly pivoted arm 57 to provide a safety means for precluding damage to the parts in the event that thehands are moved in the reverse direction. The arms are'returned to the inoperative position shown, by means of tension spring 58'. Pins 54, moving in clockwise direction, contact the arm 55 and'rotate it, together with arm 57, about pivot 56. A latch member 59, being pivotally connected to arm 57 at 60, is thereupon moved to the right until the inclined face 62 of latch 61 slides over a stud 63 carried by shift lever 64, thereby disposing latch 61 to the right of stud 63. At this time, pin 54 on the constantly moving disc 53 passes beyond the reach of arm 55'and permits spring 58 to urge the arm toward the position indicated inFig. 1. As the spring so moves the arm, the stud 63 on the shifting arm is pulled to the left by the latch 61 thereby moving the shifting arm about its pivotal mounting 65.

The shifting arm 64, in moving about its pivot 65 carries with it the stud 40, which latter throws the gears 8 and 7 into engagement for actuating the chime sounding mechanism, as previously described. It should be noted that stud 40 extends through an elongated slot 66 in shifting arm 64,

and is therefore movable therewith.

Shifting arm 64 carries a second stud 67, which is adapted to co-operate with a stop wheel 68 for terminating the chime sounding movement. Stop wheel 68 is provided with spaced slots 69 in one of which the stud 67 normally is disposed. It should be clear from the disclosure in Fig. 1 that when shifting 'arm 64 is moved to the left by latch 61, the lug 67 is simultaneously withdrawn from a slot suchas 69, and movement of the chime sounding mechanism is initiated. It is necessary now to release stud 63 from the latch 61 so that the shifting arm may return to the position shown in Fig. 1 upon registration of second stud 67 with a slot 69 in the now rotating stop wheel 68. The means for releasing the stud 63 comprises a cam or cam wheel 70 carrying a pin 71. This cam wheel is fixed onto a shaft 72, (see Fig. 2), carrying a small gear 73 which is constantly in engagement with gear 30. As the chime mechanism operates, the cam 70 rotates and pin 71 successively strikes the end or foot 74 of the latch member 59, raising it sufficiently to permit release of stud 63.

Then as second stud 67 rides upon the periphery of stop wheel 68 and subsequently falls into a slot 69, the'shifting lever 64 returns to the normal position shown in Fig. 1', carrying with it the stud 40 and thereby disengaging the gears 8 and 7. The above action is repeated each time the depending arm 55 is actuated by pins 54 and disc 53. In the present disclosure there are provided four pins 54 arranged to actuate the chime sounding mechanism at each quarter of the hour. The slots 69 in stop wheel 68 are shown unequally spaced-from one another. By so spacing the slots, the duration of chime sounding may be varied to distinguish the quarter hour periods.

The clock of this invention is provided with apeaosa means whereby the hour striking mechanism is actuated upon each complete rotation of the minute hand. Said means comprises a bell crank lever '17 having a pair of angularly disposed arms 78 and 79 which are fixed relatively to one another. At the juncture of the arms, the bell crank lever is pivotally mounted on plate 200, as at 80. A spring 81 abuts arm 79 for constantly urging the arm toward a stop 82. The free end 83 of arm 78 lies normally in the path of movement of a pin 84 extending from the face of the clockwise rotatable stop wheel 68.

Upon each complete rotation of the stop wheel, the pin 84 contacts end 83 for slowly moving the bell crank lever about its pivot against the resistance of spring 81. It is this movement of the lever which initiates movement of the hour striking mechanism.

Reference is now made to Figs. 1 and 2, the former showing the mechanism in front of plate 200, and the latter showing that behind plate 200. In each view is shown a stud. 85 which is secured to a gear shifting arm 86 (Fig. 2), and which extends through an enlarged perforation 87 in'the front plate 200. Like arm 34 of the chime sounding mechanism, the arm 86 is pivotally mounted at one end thereof on the rear plate 200, seat 88. The opposite end carries a stud shaft 89 upon which are rotatably mounted the gears 9 and 901 These gears are immovable relatively to one another, wherefore rotation of gear 9 (when placed in engagement with driver 7) is imparted to gear 90. As is clearly shown in the drawing, gear 90 is constantly in engagement with a gear 91 which is mounted on a shaft 92 for rotation in the clock frame. Said gear is provided with a plurality of pins 93 equally spaced from one another and extending from one face of said gear. A rockable shaft 94 is rotatably supported in bearings in the plates 20 and 200, at a point above the gear 91. A depending finger 95 is secured to said rockable shaft and has its lowermost orfree end disposed within the orbit of pins 93. parent that upon clockwise rotation of gear 91, the pins will strike the finger 95 and thereby rock the shaft.

The shaft 94 carries also a normally horizontal arm 96 which is fixedly secured thereto, and which will therefore respond to movement of the shaft. Said arm is provided with a loop 97 from which may be suspended a connecting rod 98, which rod is in turn connected to a pull rod 99. The lower end of the pull rod is adapted to extend through an eye 100 formed on the hammer arm 16. A head 101 on said end precludes disa-ssooiation of the pull rod and hammer arm. It should be clearly apparent that as the shaft 94 is rocked in the manner previously stated, the connecting rod 98 andpull rod 99 will be reciprocated' and will thereupon alternately lift and drop the harrimer arm 16 for sounding the hour. As previously stated, there may be-a plurality of hammer arms 16, each of which may require a pull rod 99 con-- neeted to rod 98.

The operation of the hour striking mechanism having been set forth in detail, attention is now directed to the conditioning means whereby the said mechanism is put in motion. From the disclosure in Fig. 2, it will be apparent that there is a tendency for the hour striking mechanism to assume the operative position, with gear 9 in engagement with driver 7. This is due to the action of tension spring 102, which is attached to the gear shifting arm 86. Means is therefore It should be clearly ap-.

85 and normally holds the stud in a position at which the hour striking mechanism is disengaged from the driver 7, as shownizin Fig. 2. Rotation of the check device about itspivot 107, in .a clockwise direction, removes the edge 109 from proximity with stud 85, thereby permitting spring 102 (Fig. 2) to act upon shifting arm 86 for engaging the gears 9 and 7. Such clockwise rotation of the check device about pivot 10'? is effected by the inclined edge 110 of head 111 striking a stud 112 on the arm 104 as the arm. 70 is moved in the manner previously explained. The check device is urged toward the normal position shown in Fig. 1, by a spring 113 secured to arm 106.

Attention is now directed to members 114, 115 and 116, which co-act with one another for determining the number of hour strikes to be sounded, according tothe hour indicated by the hour hand 117. Member 115 is a plate shaped to present a periphery similating substantially an involute curve, said periphery being provided with a plurality of notches or steps 118 each of which is a different distance fromthe axis of an hour hand sleeve 119 upon which plate is fixedly mounted, (Fig. 3). The sleeve is loosely mounted upon the minute hand sleeve 48, as shown in Fig. 3, and is rotated by means of the train ofgears 50, 120, 121 and 122. The above train of gears provides for the reduced speed of the hour hand and is common to clocks in general.

Members 114 and 116 are fixed in their relation to one another andare pivotally mounted upon the clock frame at 123. Member 118com-. prises an arm provided at the free end thereof with a nose or follower 124, which is adapted to contact all of the steps on the plate 115. Memher 114 is a plate the upper end 125 ofwhich is, segmental in shape and is provided with equally spaced ratchet teeth 126. The degree of counterclockwise rotation at pivot 123 obviously depends upon which one of the steps 118 is presented to the nose or follower 124, whereas rotation in the opposite direction is limited by a pin 12'Ion the check device 103. It will be readily evident that removal of pin 127- from the position/shown in Fig. 1 willpermit counter-clockwise rotation of member 114 about pivot 123, to an extent dependent upon which of the steps 118 is disposed in the path of movement of the follower 124. A hair spring 128 urges the member 114-116 into counterclockwise direction of rotation.

It will be remembered that, as hell crank member '7'? is momentarily moved to the operative position by step wheel pin 84, the head 111 strikes stu'd 1.12 of the check device whereby to move the check device about pivot 107.. Pin 12? there upon will be moved upwardly'whereby to permit of counter-clockwise rotation of member 114-410 about pivot 128. The degree of rotation, as stated before, will depend upon the relative positfoii'ofthe nose 124 and stepped plate 115. As soon as the bell crank lever 7'7 returns to the position shown in Fig. l, the stud 85 is released so that spring 102 (Fig. 2) may act to engagethe gears 9 and '7.

As the hour striking mechanism begins to operate, cam 130 carrying pin-131, is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by means of gear 132,

(Fig. 2), which gear is fixed on the shaft 133 that carries cam 130. By reference to Fig. 1 it should be clear that pin 131 of the rotating cam, by engaging successive teeth 126, effects a step by step return of member 114-116 to the initial position shown in Fig. 1. By providing gear 132 with teeth equal in number to the teeth between successive pins 93' on gear 91, each revolution of gear 132 and cam 130 is accompanied by a stroke of the hour striking hammers. Pin 12'? of the check member assists in thestep by step return operation, by riding upon and dropping between the ratchet teeth 126. Pin 12? thereby restrains and checks the return movement of the ratchet member while the ratchet pin 131 is out of engagement therewith. As the pin 127 passes over the endmost tooth 126, it drops to the position shown in Fig. 1, causing the check device to descend upon and move the stud 85 for removing gear 9 from engagement with driver '7, (Fig. 2). Arm 105, descending with the check device, abuts a fiat a portion 135 of the cam 130 for normally holding the pin 131 out of contact with the segment teeth. The operation of the device is as follows. It is to be assumed that the clock shown in the drawings has just completed striking the hour of four. As the motor continues to operate the clock, pin 54 moving slowly with the minute hand 51, contacts the arm 55 and slowly moves the arm mechanism about its pivot 56. Latch arm 59 being attached to the said arm mechanism isslowly moved to the right until latch 61 has ridden over the stud 63 to a position in front of latch 61. At about this time, pin 54 passes on, beyond the reach of arm 55, thereby releasing the arm mechanism which is snapped back nearly to initial position by spring 58, pulling with it the stud 63 and arm64. As arm 64 is .thus moved, gear shift lever stud 40 is moved therewith, and at the same time, stud 67 is withdrawn from its slot 69 in stop wheel 68. Members 68 and '70, being driven from gear 8, are thereby rotated. Pin 71 on rotating member 70, raises arm 59 sufliciently'to permit the stud 63 to clear the latch 61, whereupon stud 67, urged by spring 36, rides along the periphery of stop wheel 68 until it drops into a second slot 69. Spring 36 thereupon returns 64 to initial position, carrying with it stud 40 which disengages the chime mechanism gears.

Having thus sounded thefirst quarter hour, the minute hand continues to move whereupon the chime sounding is repeated at the half, threequarter, and full hour periods.

At the full hour, stop wheel pin 84 comes into .position for actuating the lever of bell crank '17. This occurs at approximately the same time that the chime finishes sounding the full hour. As the pin moves the bell crank to the left, (Fig. 1), the head 111 of arm 79 overrides the stud 85, and at the same time, the inclined edge 110 of the head strikes pin 112, moving the entire check device mits spring 102 toact for engaging the gears 9 and '1, (Fig. 2). 4

The above movements leave the parts in the following positions. Bell crank 77 is in normal position, as shown; check member 103 is raised, thereby freeing the gear shift lever stud 85 and also the ratchet member 114-116, which latter moves upon its axis 123, under the influence of spring 128, 124 abuts the fifth step of the stepped plate 115; 'arm 105 is raised above cam 130; and pin 127. is resting behind the fifth tooth 126 of the ratchet segment. In this position, pin 127 precludes movement of the segment toward the normal position shown in Fig. 1.

As the gears of the hour striking mechanism are engaged, as above explained, the cam wheel 130 is rotating in counter-clockwise direction, and upon each rotation thereof, the, pin 131 thereon engages a ratchet tooth 126 for'moving the member 114116 step by step toward the normal position shown in Fig. 1. Upon each rotation ofcam 130, the hammer 16 is actuated in a manner hereinbefore described. Each time that the cam 130 moves the ratchet member, the pin 127 slides over a tooth 126 until finally it passes over the endmost tooth and drops, with the check device, to the normal position shown in Fig. 1. As the check device drops, it falls upon andmoves the gear shift lever stud 85,.whereupon the gears for driving the hour strike mechanism are disengaged. Arm 105 of the check device then contacts the fiat 135 of cam 130 and retains it in the position shown. After the hour of five has thus been sounded, the minute hand continues to move toward the quarter hour, whereupon the above sequence of operations is repeated.

Although the device of this invention has been set forth and described in a specific form, it is to be understood that various modifications and changes in structural details of the device may be mechanism into engagement with the driver for actuating the chime sounding mechanism, means associated with the chime sounding and hour striking mechanisms for moving into engage- .ment with the driver the shiftable gear of the hour striking mechanism for transmitting motion thereto, and a control device actuated by power transmitted from the constant speed power means for controlling the duration of operation of the hour striking mechanism.

2. In a clock, the combination with hour and minute hand driving mechanisms, of a constant speed power means for operating said mecha nisms, a toothed driver in constant driving relation with said power means, a chime sounding mechanism and an hour strike mechanism each comprising a shiftable gear normally disengaged from the driver, means associated with the minutehand driving mechanism for moving the shiftable gear of the chime sounding mechanism into engagement with the driver for actuating and movable into engagement with the chime sounding mechanism, and means associated with the chime sounding and hour striking mechanisms for moving into engagement with the. driver the shiftable gear of the hour striking mechanism for transmitting motion thereto.

3. In a clock, the combination with hour and minute hand moving mechanisms, of a constant speed power means for operating said mechanisms, an hour striking mechanism and a chime mechanism, each of which may be placed in driving relation with the constant speed power means, means associated with the minute hand moving mechanism for placing the chime mechanism in driving relation with the said power means, means actuated by the chime mechanism for placing the hour striking mechanism in driving relation with the said power means, and means associated with the hour hand moving mechanism for controlling the duration of the hour striking operation.

4. In a clock, the combination of an actuatable mechanism comprising a fixed bearing and a gear rotatably supported thereby, a toothed driver, power means for imparting constant rotary motion to the toothed driver, a second gear in constant engagement with the first mentioned gear and movable to an operative position in engagement with the toothed driver, and a movable support means for said second gear, said support means being arranged relative to the first mentioned gear to more deeply mesh the second gear with the first gear as the second gear is moved to the operative, position for transmitting motion to the actuatable mechanism.

5. In a clock, the combination of an actuatable mechanism comprising a fixed bearing and a gear rotatably supported thereby, a toothed driver, electric power means for imparting constant rotary motion to the toothed driver, a gear in constant engagement with the first mentioned gear the toothed driver, a movable support means rotatably supporting the said constantly engaged movable gear, and means actuated by the constant power means for moving the movable support means into position for engagement of the movable gear with said driver whereby to place into operation the actuatable mechanism.

6. In a clock, the combination with an hour hand moving mechanism, of a constantly operating constant speed power means for operating said mechanism, and having power, at its normal speed, in excess of that required to operate said mechanisms, an hour striking mechanism operatable by said constant speed power means, a check device for normally holding the hour striking mechanism in an inoperative position, a toothed ratchet member pivotally supported adjacent to the check device and serving when in an operative position to hold the check device in an inoperative position, means on the check device for normally retaining the ratchet member in an initial positionwith respect to the check device, means operative upon the check device for release of the hour striking means and the ratchet member, a stepped member movable with the hour hand moving mechanism and associated with the ratchet member for limiting movement thereof about its pivotal mounting, and means for efiecting step by step return of the ratchet member to said initial position whereby to release the check device for return thereof to the normal position.

'7. In a clock, the combination with an hour hand moving mechanism, of a constant speed power means for operating said mechanism, and having power, at its normal speed, in excess of that required to operate said mechanisms, an hour striking mechanism operatable by the said constant speed power means, means for normally holding the hour striking mechanism in an inoperative position, means operative upon said holding means for release of said hour striking mechanism for effecting a driving relation between 

